Davidson’s spot-kick on his full debut secured a 7-6 shoot-out win for the Baggies after they had squandered a 1-0 lead in the final minutes of normal time.

An own-goal had given the hosts the lead just before the half-hour but a woeful second-half display encouraged Michael Appleton’s Us, who levelled in the dying moments through Danny Hylton.

There were no goals in extra-time and, after James Morrison and Brown Ideye had missed for the Baggies and Michael Collins and Tom Newey for Oxford, Boaz Myhill saved from Jake Wright to give Davidson a chance to win it.

And the Australia international found the top corner to spare the blushes of Alan Irvine’s men.

Albion made a bright start that suggested they wanted the tie settled early.

And Irvine’s men twice went close in the opening moments.

First Stephane Sessegnon found some room wide on the right and crossed towards the near post, where Chris Brunt turned the ball goalwards with his chest.

Visiting keeper Max Crocombe initially fumbled the ball but was able to gather before Brunt could seize on the rebound.

Then Jason Davidson burst down the left and pulled the ball back to the feet of Sessegnon, who tried his luck from long-range with a skidding low shot that only just crept wide.

But Oxford recovered from their nervous start and found their feet to make the Baggies work a little harder for their subsequent chances.

They could have suffered, however, from Sheffield United’s decision to prevent loanee goalkeeper George Long from playing in the cup as stand-in Max Crocombe spilled almost everything that flew at him early on.

He could only parry long-range efforts from Sessegnon and Saido Berahino as the Baggies sensed a potential gift.

But they failed to test the gloveman when Chris Baird, making his full debut, drove a shot straight the Oxford wall after a short corner routine.

And Crocombe could do little to prevent his side falling behind on 29 minutes through a comical own-goal.

Andre Wisdom galloped forwards energetically for the hosts and, when his cross was missed by Jake Wright, it hit the legs of Jonny Mullins and flew into the bottom corner past the helpless keeper.

For the remainder of the half the Baggies cranked up the pressure as Oxford were forced back and found themselves defending their own 18-yard box for long spells.

And Irvine’s men might have doubled their lead when Ideye produced a smart turn a snap-shot that flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Albion continued to press and Berahino should have done better with a good chance from a tight angle that he ballooned high and wide.

Early in the second period Wisdom twice laid on chances from which the Baggies might have increased their advantage.

First he combined with Berahino and crossed for Ideye, who swung and missed when he should have done better.

And then Wisdom picked out Sessegnon with another cross but the Benin international spooned his shot over the bar.

Sessegnon then turned provider as he picked out Ideye with a neat through-ball but, as the striker shaped to shoot, he was tackled well by a back-tracking Wright.

Davidson was next to find space out wide for the Baggies and he found Berahino with a far-post cross but the forward nodded straight at Crocombe.

And then a right-wing corner from Brunt found Claudio Yacob unmarked at the far post but he also headed too close to the keeper.

But Oxford enjoyed a good spell midway through the second half and twice had chances to level the scores.

First Gareth McAuley had to make a fine saving challenge to deny Danny Hylton a shooting chance inside the Baggies box.

And then Hylton teed up Carlton Morris, who dragged an effort just wide of the far post from a difficult angle.

The Baggies managed to take a little of the sting out of the Oxford resurgence and could have added a second when a neat passing move released Sessegnon on the right but his low shot deflected wide off Tom Newey for a corner that came to nothing.

With four minutes remaining Oxford got themselves back on level terms when Junior Brown crossed from the left, substitute Will Hoskins headed the ball across goal and Hylton stooped to nod in from close range.

The Baggies could have snatched victory in added time of normal time when Berahino found room on the left but he was denied by Crocombe.

Five minutes into extra-time Oxford should twice have led.

First Craig Dawson made a crucial block to deny Brown after a fumble by Boaz Myhill in the home goal, then Myhill redeemed himself with a fine save with his legs to keep out a Brown shot.

With eight minutes remaining in stoppage-time the Us were reduced to 10 men when Brown received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Dawson.

In the dying seconds of extra-time Dawson’s headed ‘goal’ from a Morrison corner was chalked off for a foul to send the tie to penalties.

Stokewolf64

Shropshirebaggy

glassboy baggy

August 26, 2014 11:54 pm

I'm not too bothered about the result , Oxford gave it a good go and whatever you say young and stupid , we are in the third round and still unbeaten, but why oh why did we not start with Gamboa . The time he spent on the pitch will hardly get him fit for Saturday .I think I would have started with Brunt and Wisdom on the bench .Anyway I've had me moan now, it just leaves me to say Wembley.Wembley .Boing Boing.

colindbaggie

August 27, 2014 12:00 am

Just got back home all I can think after watching that is the words of the nineties song 'Things can only get better'. It sure can't get no worse and still end up winning. Unbelievable at times can only defend it by saying the team is work in process.

DroitwichBaggie71

August 27, 2014 12:32 am

Well we certainly got our money's worth tonight, 120 minutes of football, a penalty shootout and 15 goals, I can only imagine that Albion didn't want to get Appleton the sack because the way we started the game you could only see one side winning it and we created chance after chance but just couldn't seem to convert until they scored for us. Once we got our noses in front we kept the ball well but didn't really do much with it it just looked like we were in second gear and didn't want to kill them off, half time arrived and there were already signs we were playing to casually and I was convinced AI would give them a bit of a rocket at half time to get them motivated but it just didn't seem to happen.

Midway through the second half I could see Yacob just didn't seem to be on his game and I thought he needed to be subbed and Mulumbu to take his place and sure enough Mulumbu was soon warming up on the touchline and I couldn't see anyone else but yacob making way, off came sessegnon OMG I thought whats he doing that was Brunt and Sess off 2 of our attacking players gone and this gave Oxford more of the ball in our half and just like Sunderland in the final minutes they got their reward for our poor substitution (IMO). Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot again. Ideye needs to get his fitness up because he looks clumsy and he should have scored a couple tonight but i'll give him the benefit of the doubt because he did make some intelligent runs and work off the ball. Wisdom, Davidson and Gamboa all look like they have bags of potential and I can't wait to see more from them overall it was job done but we limped over the finish line. We need to get some width and the players gelling asap I think then we can finally see the real Albion.

There are real encouraging signs but I think it is going to take a few more weeks before we see the team really live up to its real potential just hope we can pick up a few more points in the process.

baggy8oy

August 27, 2014 12:34 am

Jesus that was like pulling teeth!.... Not sure what the tactics were for tonight but I didn't see much structure at all.... Yacob has class but a yard short or just unfit & you can't play him with Sess or Mulumbu (sub) as they play in the same position so will keep falling over each other... Wisdom, didn't look interested, is that fitness or confidence as he just looked fed up?... Baird was a yard short I guess thats fitness..... Ideye is class but needs the service so he was left having to hold the ball up or make something out of nothing & thats just not his game... Davidson looks on the money as did Gamboa when he came on... We made a real meal out of a game with a team respectfully at the bottom of the football league... 2-0 would of been respectable, 5 or 6-0 should be achievable but to have to go to penalties after they scored the two only goals leaves me a bit uneasy!.... Well played Mr Appleton... boing boing

bob.williamsfindlay

August 27, 2014 1:14 am

As a seasoned Albion supporter I was disappointed, but not shocked to see the game pan out the way it did. Other cup games have taken similar turns in the past without a satisfactory conclusion I might add. How much can we take from the game?

In my opinion there were a few, not many, positives - nearly all but two new comers made useful contributions. Irvine also knows as a result of tonight's game certain players aren't good enough for automatic selection. Two in particular, hacked me off if I'm honest, and they were Baird and Berahino - both in terms of attitude and performance. It would also be foolish to judge Ideye on that performance as well. What was an issue and one raised many times, is the lack of leadership when Albion begin to lose their shape and discipline. As a senior professional I thought Baird was an utter disgrace towards the end of the 2nd half and believe his negativity contributed to the Oxford equaliser.

5 to the Albion

August 27, 2014 4:51 am

Poor performance, worryingly negative tactics by Irvine, (as predicted by fans of his previous clubs), but we are through to the next round, hope Irvine learns quickly that negative substitutions usually have a poor outcome.

1877wolf

Albion only rested Olsson and Foster and only drew the game? Long-hard season ahead for a club who keep harping on about the football you played under Di Matteo and Mowbray and how you want Roy back but the present and future is looking very bleak!

SurreyBaggie

August 27, 2014 7:31 am

Had to make do with hearing/reading about it via other means. Wasn't too impressed if I'm honest. Wasn't expecting a 4 or 5 nil thrashing but would like to have finished the game without the same concerns present (failure to see a game out; failing to take our chances; another draw). We almost seemed to be trying to take the pace from the game in the second half - three midfielders who are were more defensively minded at 1-0 seemed excessive and we found it difficult to get back ahead. A positive is that Dawson at least sounded motivated.

Yes we are a work in progress, and yes we are at least through, but we really have a lot of issues to still work on - particularly around our finishing. As always, will keep the faith.

CantelloRocket 78

August 27, 2014 7:35 am

Phew!!........well when we won the F.A.Cup in '68, we started by scraping through the competition after somehow managing to survive a draw with little Colchester - I guess the old saying comes to mind, 'all's well that ends well'.....it was still a win, a chance for some to actually play their first football of the season, and an experience for all to learn from - next round draw, please!!

Jackett the Hat

mcvitiespace

August 27, 2014 10:54 am

Now Jackett i am not making excuses for last night. Albion who were comfortable until the 86th minute were definately the team hanging on throughout the rest of the 120 mins. The penalty shootout could obviously have gone either way. However i am sure you are aware that only Davidson of the world cup players you allude to actually played, with Gamboa only coming on at half time of extra time. Davidson was in my opinion Albions best player on the night. ( Not difficult i admit) Both players also scored their penalties. Davidsons being the decisive one. To blame any of the World cup players is wide of the mark therefore.

It was a poor performance which almost resulted in us going out to a 4th tier side. And i agree can you imagine the ignominy of supporting a team who has done that.

Captain Mardon International

August 27, 2014 8:25 am

I managed to just see the live reports on the BBC website. The stats suggest we had loads of possesion, and plenty of shots, so why such a bad scoreline?

A win is a win is a win, plus as mentioned above it was the first time many of our new players have played together. Oxford like so many lower league teams will try to grab the headlines as this is a big game for them, so they will try to do what they can I suppose.

mcvitiespace

August 27, 2014 11:18 am

Captain.

I am afraid playing bad and winning does not give me confidence. Unless we are playing the likes of Oxford or Northampton every week. If you play badly results will always catch up with you. Remember Wolves two seasons ago. They had somehow got into top 3 in september of that season after beating Leicester at home. They had done this despite playing poorly in majority of games. We all know what happened after that.

The premier league is the most unforgiving league in world. Any performances approaching the one we saw last night will result in a loss. Enough of them will see us relegated

BURNLEY BAGGIE

August 27, 2014 8:41 am

Leicester, Burnley, Man U, West Ham, all went out last night to lower league opposition, We didn't we were the better team and we are in the hat for next next round. It wasn't a full strength side so don't over analyse it. What happened last night is what makes our cup competitions the best in the world and all you can do is get through to the next round and we did.

do lallytap

August 27, 2014 8:57 am

My god that was a tough match but I knew it was going to be, I said yesterday it was their final which in the end were dead lucky to have won it after dominating the first half and they come out all blazing 2nd half.

Now, I know, I know, I know there are a lot of negatives in last nights match but I , for once won't dwell on it and I am glad it went into extra time believe it or not and I will tell you why.

There were a lot of those players last night who were not match fit, not match sharp and that 90min + extra time is just what some of them wanted, a tough, hard slog to get them fit but how knackered was Gary Mc at the end.

It was great to see Sess start, he brings a different dimension, a different attacking play to the match but my word this Mr Brown has got a long way to go, some of his touches were nice, some of his lay offs but the rest of his play is making me wonder why we paid 10 million for him but it may be a case of time before he kicks in, see how he is after he scores that first goal for us.

Gamboa, when he came on he really looked the part and Davidson I thought played OK, he did get out of position a few times byt my god how fast was he at getting back for that challenge in the 2nd half, that sprint he done getting back, that determination and THAT tackle was worth the entrance fee alone.

Now, I am not really a Morrison fan but to me I thought he had a cracking game when he came on, his hunger and passion was back, something which was missing last season.

Brunty is a problem for me, too many bad passes, too many pulling out of tackles and those dreadful corners but I am not harping on about that, he knows and the gaffer knows.

Sess substitution was a strange one as was keeping Baird on for so long but thats gone now.

Summing it up....A skidpan match which we could have easily lost, a hell of a fitness run out but in the end we won by the skin of our teeth....Roll on the draw tonight...Onwards and upwards !

Captain Mardon International

I like your honesty mate, always have. I may not always agree with you, but you only come across as too sharp to some because you want whats best for us. Some fans can't take that slap in the face.

Interesting points on Brown and Davdison. I can't see why your not a Jimmy fan? he can run the show and does on may occasions. However I know exactly what you mean ref last season. You could see he had given up from March onwards. He can be our match winner as can Sess.

Jack the Hat

August 27, 2014 10:59 am

do lallytap,

I agree with your write-up on the fitness of the players you mention, I have said the same myself. Like you say, we are through to the next round and all according to who we draw I would pick the same again as they need to get up to scratch quickly.

capehill

The Real Bully Hoo.

August 27, 2014 10:15 am

Let's get the positive out of the way first.

We won.

Now the rest.

After strolling through the first half looking like a PL team who were going to win at a canter, for some reason we decided to play the second half as if we were a Div 2 team. We can blame this partly on being a team of strangers that hadn't gelled but that doesn't explain why it got worse as the game went on instead of better.

Hard to blame AI for players not being able to complete a simple pass to a team mate The subs did seem strange but we don't know the circumstances. Sess had done a lot of running and I guess was tiring.

I thought Baird looked neat and tidy but he isn't a midfielder, Dorrans and Gardner both injured so it was a forced selection although I still wonder if we needed two holding in midfield against a div 2 team.

I thought whatever else you can find fault with them, both FB's worked like Trojans supplying the only width we had. Somebody mentioned JD being caught out of position but I think that was the Ridgewell syndrome where he got caught overlapping and nobody filled in for him. It was also mentioned that Wisdom looked disinterested but I thought he was just plain knackered.

Ideye is playing catch up and looked useful but will get better when the team read his runs better.

Back in the days before the PL, being a manager was a much simpler job. You had a first team and if you were lucky about 4 decent squad players and some youngsters. The worse problem was a player losing form or getting injured. The problem now is that AI as a PL manager has a squad that consists of pretty much two full 11's that could hold their place in the PL. He needs to get these players to build up an understanding but also needs to keep them happy and keep them fit by rotating and giving them regular football. Easier said than done and he has my sympathy.

Jack the Hat

August 27, 2014 10:42 am

Lets get things into perspective, seven changes from the Southampton match. These changes were to give newbies and returning injured game time as they had missed preseason. Positives, Even against poor sides a high standard of play is needed to win games comfortably. Played below par yet still won, plenty of goal scorers in our goal scoring chart, Alan has his first win under his belt.

John B

August 27, 2014 11:01 am

This was a poor game against the worst team in the football league. I am happy with the squad we have and think when they are all match fit we will have a strong side. I am less happy with A.I. at the moment as his substitutions has cost us 2 wins in normal time out of 3 games. Does he really know what he is doing? Need to get it right Al or we are in for a long hard season

THEGREENMAN

August 27, 2014 12:50 pm

Has anybody listened to Alan Irvine's after match comments ? I thought he gave a very honest assessment of the performance, and his disappointment with certain phases of the game. He obviously knows which areas the improvement has to come from, and also which players aren't ready fitness wise. The players who made their first appearances last night will certainly feel the pain this morning, and will realise they have to improve their fitness levels to even be considered for the bench on Saturday.

We are in the hat for the next round, and that is mission accomplished, albeit by the longer route. We are in a learning curve, and making so many changes is bound to bring about a mixed set of performances from a lot of players who had never played together before last night. Keep the faith people, it's a long hard season.

Max Wall Heath Baggie

Actually mate, there were times last night you probably could have (almost) won me over to the bleak side, first half we started bright enough, but second, there was periods an alien would have been hard pushed to pick out the Prem team.

What I cant understand was we knew U's record before this game, and ergo their defence and keeper has to be suspect, so did we try blasting a few in from outside the box? not nearly enough, again we were trying to walk it in.

I did at least think when Morrison came on he would let fly from distance, he will try it against class keepers, so surely he would try against a struggling lower league team. I was to be sorely disappointed.

To be fair to the U's they did play out of their skins, not as I am saying thats an excuse, we should have taken the game comfortably when you look at the £'s worth we had on the pitch compared to them (how many times have we relied on that excuse in the past) but, approaching the 90 minute mark it was almost like Rocky IV, with us cast as a invincible Ivan Drago against the U's plucky little Rocky Balboa, they certainly had won my respect at the final whistle.

Still, Cups are Cups, notoriously slippery (just ask a Man U fan) take that has our warning, and march on to the next round.

p.s. at the risk of not quitting whilst I'm ahead, fancy Orient tonight for another upset.

p.p.s. Three games in and Irvine trouncing Van Gaal, who saw that coming???

Max Wall Heath Baggie

priceywba....Plymouth..

August 27, 2014 3:30 pm

You know i think we are know better now than we was at the end of last season,Alan Irvine can say all he like,s but if we car'nt beat Oxford at home, a club who are having it tuff and bottom then we need to look where we are going wrong.. Well lets see if we win Saturday i know what i think will happen. Swansea have not lost yet and we have not won yet. ?

Max Wall Heath Baggie

August 27, 2014 4:32 pm

Do not bite mate , you are better than that . You hit the nail on the head sometime ago when you stated ' why would i bother conversing with people on here who i would not give the time of day normally in day to day life ' or summat like that , anyway i thought it was one of the wisest things put on these boards and i a'int joking .

The trolls have driven Cyril away and he has been on here for yonks and much missed he his to .

Max Wall Heath Baggie

priceywba....Plymouth..

AndyH

August 27, 2014 4:42 pm

Afternoon,

it's a win.....hats of to Oxford who looked well organised and drilled....well done appy!! As me and Dad walked out the 2 thoughts that I a were that we were a little lucky but still in the hat and that Oxford deserved a replay (I know they don't exist anymore but i'll hanker for days gone by!).....

I'll not dwell on the negatives...mainly because others have done it and, lets face it, we had new players...debuts....players coming back from injury.......the main positives I got were Sess......looking sharp and Jimmy (I know I bang on about him at times...) looked really sharp and I would give him man of the match (pen miss non withstanding!!!)....the team is coming together slowly and last season we would have lost so......we move on.....into the next round....oh.....and Gamboa....wow!!

One negative I will comment on though because it annoyed me.....the team were really quiet....no one seemed to be talking to each other...no one seemed to want to take the team by the scruff of the neck and pull them up!! No one seemed to be shouting at each other at all.....and that's in no way a dig at Brunt as skipper because ALL the players out there have a responsibility to help each other...push / pull into position etc....gee up when heads go down and all that.... and I wasn't sat up the back of the stand either....just on half way line and half way up the East stand....

I know the team is coming together....I know we will get better.....I'm pretty certain we will have a good season.....we have a skilful squad with bags of ability...just show that little bit more passion and we'll do well

Max Wall Heath Baggie

August 27, 2014 4:59 pm

Well my friend if things do not come together and if we do not get better then i'm afraid our Premier league tenure will end this season . Brunt is not Captain material and never has been . Remember when RDM gave the job to Carson ? i laughed me ed off until i realised it wasn't April .

AndyH

August 27, 2014 5:39 pm

Hi Max,

the lack of talking on the pitch just got to me.....no one seemed to want the responsibility....again not knocking Brunt at all because you don't have to be loud to be a skipper....but every side I've ever watched always has some loud characters geeing the others up......and last night we just didn't in my view....

Carson......I remember him as skipper...but I've never liked keepers as captain...always a centre half's/ centre mid's job for me

The Real Bully Hoo.

August 27, 2014 5:13 pm

Hi Andy

Good to see a lot of our fans stayed to applaud Oxford off the pitch. I know some people won't approve but I think a bit of old fashioned sportsmanship is no bad thing. I know we probably wouldn't if they'd beat us, I'm not that daft.